David Rodriguez, administrative coordinator for the LSU Department of Theatre, was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on July 29 on charges of theft.
In a statement, the University revealed LSU’s Office of Internal Audit discovered $82,132.60 of the Department of Theatre’s funds, which was collected from ticket and concession sales, had been misappropriated by Rodriguez. Through a Campus Federal Credit Union account he controlled for the Department of Theatre from 2010-2015, Rodriguez endorsed checks made out to himself or to cash, according to the internal audit report.
The College of Music and Dramatic Arts contacted the Office of Internal Audit in April, and, after an investigation by the LSU Police Department, Rodriguez was subsequently arrested and fired from the University.
“Mr. Rodriguez acknowledged that over the years he took money from production ‘banks’ as well as funds to be deposited, sometimes even the entire amount for a given deposit,” the audit report states. “He stated that he spent these funds to purchase various items for use by the Department of Theatre. However, with the exception of a few ink cartridges, he could not recall what was purchased, when the items were purchased, or for whom he purchased the items. Mr. Rodriguez then further stated that he did not have any receipts or invoices to document any of the purported purchases.”
Along with the alleged theft of Department of Theatre production funds, Rodriguez also wrote two checks to himself on two separate occasions in 2012, which were worth more than $200 according to the University statement and the audit report.
“The audit report recommended that LSU seek repayment of the missing funds, in addition to a $262.72 check the employee wrote to himself, and that the university close the Department of Theatre’s off-campus account and move any remaining funds to an LSU account, which the university has done,” the statement said.
Rodriguez, an employee of the University since 2004, also was an employee of Abigail’s Catering and the owner of At Your Service Staffing Services. Both companies were used by Rodriguez to write four checks to each, totaling more than $6,000, from the off-campus account between December 2010 and December 2012. According to the audit report, the amount of those transactions is not included in the total amount of missing funds because the Department of Theatre knew about Rodriguez’s additional employment.
“When specifically asked if he had issued checks from the Campus Federal account to Abigail’s Catering and At your service Staffing Services, Mr. Rodriguez adamantly denied writing checks to both organizations,” the audit report states. “When Mr. Rodriguez was advised that we could prove that he signed the checks, he stated ‘Ok, I would like to see that.’ Mr. Rodriguez was then shown several checks issued to Abigail’s Catering and At your Service Staffing, at which time he verified and acknowledged that the authorizing signature on each of the checks was, in fact, his. Mr. Rodriguez then also verified and acknowledged that the endorsing signature on the back of the checks to At Your Service Staffing was also, in fact, his signature.”
The Department of Theatre declined to comment, and the Office of Internal Audit could not be immediately reached for comment.
You can reach James Bewers on Twitter @JamesBewers_TDR.